Max,

you know, I think what we know is somewhat what I alluded to with Aaron Rodgers.

And, you know, look, I have my doubts from time to time.

But when you, one of the things you know is that, or at least you found out yesterday, and we'll see if it continues.

You know, Aaron Rodgers said after the game, it was a trajectory alternating game moment.

And we'll see if he is correct, but I get his point.

16-3 in the fourth quarter, and he somehow come back and win that game when it looks like they're going to win the game, then it looks like they're going to lose the game, then it looks like they're going to win it, and then it's like, okay, I mean, it looks like they're going to get blown out is what it looks like.

You know, just talk about kind of what you've seen from them playing off of each other, offense and defense and special teams.

How sold are you on Jalen Warren? And don't get me wrong, he's been brilliant, but it's been a short sample for him under this coaching regime.

Well, Mark, I'm not going to sit here and tell you that he's Jameer Gibbs or Bajon Robinson, who are the only two guys actually who have more scrimmage yards than him.

But I don't think there's any question.

There's no way the Steelers ever thought he would be this productive.

I know it's only five games, but the guy has been exceptional, whether it's catching the ball and turning it into a play like the other day.

or just running the ball.

Um, and so, um, you know, they got, they signed them to a contract, a new contract two years before last year for five and a half million.

Where's the defense at settling in now without Joey Porter Jr.?

Um, how important do you think that is?

Well, Max, it is.

Uh, a- and, and that was the one thing that, uh, you know, I failed to mention but was leading in that direction, was the fact that, you know, then they're playing another game on the road.

And you- You know, this is a good stretch for the Steelers.

Let's face it, they already blew part of that good stretch in Cleveland.

I mean, I'm not gonna sit here and, you know, Cleveland's closer to the bottom feeders in the league than they are to the top of the league.

So you look at the stretch between the, the Browns and the Colts, who are beatable.

Right.

Can you, I guess, capsulize what, what's the temperature of the team right now going into Sunday against the Colts?

Well, you know, Willie, it's, uh, and you know how it works with, uh, you know, professional athletes, NFL players, especially this time of year.

It's only four games.

I don't think anybody would be, "Oh, they would be..." Obviously hit, probably have a little, uh, more of a hitch in their step if they were 4-0.

I don't think anybody's ready to practice.

I, I mean, uh, uh, panic.

I think, um, you know, the way they lost in Cleveland, letting them go down the field after they battled back the way they did from 21 to seven, you know, you never like to see that happen.

Should we expect this being one of the aspects, uh, they exploit coming Sunday against the Colts?

I mean, two-thirds of the snaps are passes.

Yeah, Mark, I think, what does he have, like 13 catches or something? I expected a few more.

Yeah, and even the amount of carries is not inordinate.

He's carried 55 times, and I looked, Mark, the other day.

That's 21st in the league, so it's not like they're just giving him the ball more than any other running back in the league.

That's the furthest thing from the truth, but he's been really productive when they have given it to him.

He has three runs of 20 yards or longer.

anything

Where are we at with the health of the rest of the secondary?

Well, Max, I'm glad you brought up about Daylon Everett because I was going to bring that up at some point, you know, you and I had talked a week or so ago least after the after the opener with you know about what appeared to be Mike McCarthy's reluctance to use his rookies.

You look at their top three picks, they played a combined eight snaps in the first game and then by week two.

Now, Jeremy Bernard had to play because of the injury to Michael Pittman Jr., but Max Ahanachor had played four snaps, and then he gets tossed into the starting lineup because of, look, his talent and because he's the number one pick.

And, you know, you don't bring in the number one pick to lead the band at halftime.

You bring him in because eventually you're going to play him.

But that's out the window now.

They've been quite different.

Right.

Um, it was only gonna be a matter of time before he gets into the lineup.

And so that- th- that's, uh, certainly not a surprise.

But when you look collectively, the line has not played well.

They haven't been thrilled with the play of their guards.

And so it's possible, um, you know, they can make a move there as well on, on the right side with Brock Coffman, who played, you know, f- with two seasons with Mike McCarthy in Dallas.

So, um, you know, the, uh, you know, when we talked to Mike McCarthy today, he, you know, he wasn't as emphatic about continuity.

Yeah.

What do you think?

You know, Rich, when we, when you look at two days of OTAs, and, and I never put, of course, any amount of stock in anything that happens in OTAs, so it was nothing in particular.

But, um, when you see...

And, and everybody who sees it for the first time, and we got to go through this last year.

But when you see Aaron Rodgers throw the ball the previous two, two days here, um, nothing looks different.

Now, I know it's a different animal when four linemen or edge rushers are coming at him and wanna, wanna take his head off, and you're reading the opposing defense or it's trying to figure out what they're trying to do to you, which he does better than any quarterback in the league at the line of scrimmage.

I know that's a whole different animal, but what I'm talking about is at age 42, um, you know, I saw him yesterday roll out of the pocket and, and what we've seen many, many times when he throws that Hail Mary, rolls out left, plants his feet, and lets it go.

Um, so when a 42-year-old says, "This is it," and it's a quarterback-driven league, and you got two youngins in Mason Rudolph in that quarterback room, it's, it's now time to say, what's next? Who's next? I mean, what's the plan? What do you think it looks like, and, and involve the, the entirety of the season and, and then obviously next, uh, spring in, uh, in the draft in DC, Jerry? What's the plan here? What we got?

Um, where do things stand right now?

Well, Rich, um, what I had said then was that if he was not there by May 18th, which is Monday, the start of OTAs, then, um, there, some people who matter were gonna start losing their patience.

Um, now, what does that mean, Rich? I don't know what it means, because I just don't see them walking away from this situation.

To me, uh, Aaron Rodgers has all the leverage, and not that this is about leverage.

Um, I can't sit here and tell you exactly what it's about, but I can tell you what I know and what I've been told for the longest time, is that it is not about money.

It's not like that's a hold-up.

It could be, uh, you know, as to when does he want to, uh, uh, come in and, and sign.

You, you got any dart throw on that one, Jerry?

And your thoughts, just kind of an overview of what you're sort of expecting to see Sunday night.

Well, Happy New Year to you, boys, first of all.

Always enjoy being with you, holiday or no holiday.

You know...

It's funny how one game can change how we look, you know, the perspective we have, how we look at a game, how we feel about it.

And, you know, what we saw in Cleveland with an opportunity to clinch the division and to watch the defense come out and sleepwalk through the first two series, that is as astounding to me as the, you know, not so great performance by the offense.

And I guess I'm probably being kind.

No

I'm sure

he knows how Aaron played in the West.

He had enough time watching the Steelers lose their last five games and trying to endure that, let alone watch what was going on with Aaron Rodgers.

But I didn't pay any close attention to it because, obviously, I never, ever, ever thought that was a possible thing.

landing spot for him because I didn't think the Steelers would ever be interested in Aaron Rodgers.

But the way it has all unfolded, you know, you mentioned Justin Fields.

They were going to let him walk in free agency.

Is there a lot of frustration with Steelers fans as far as Mike losing

How surprised were you that this move took place?

Well, obviously I wasn't shocked because I knew they were going to move on him at some point.

Dan, they were never going to give George Pickens a second contract.

That was never going to happen.

And I never thought they would just let him walk.

When they didn't take a receiver, I thought they were content to go into the season with a double-barreled receiving room with DK Metcalf and George Pickens.

But, you know, A coach told me this a long time ago, Dan, and it's still true.

This move impact Aaron Rodgers' decision?

And in terms of Harmon, you know, I, I saw from your posting about his personal story, Jerry, um, that his mom, who had been ill for a very long time and had been occupying a lot of his time to be with, not just at the beginning of his college career, but during the draft process, uh, my colleague in hour three, Tom Pelissero, reporting that Harmon had to cancel a lot of his visits or meetings because he wanted to be with his mom, that he was able to tell his mom that he got drafted by the Steelers and then she passed away, which just blew me away, and I'm wondering what, what other details that you might know about that you're willing to share a- about that 24-hour period involving Derek Harmon, Jerry.

Well, Rich, I think first of all, I think everybody was both saddened and touched and, uh, you know, um, uh, when, with what happened.

You know, when we talked to him shortly after he was picked, he said, "When I hang up with you guys, I'm going straight to the hospital to tell my mom, who is on life support, that I've just been drafted," and if that doesn't tou- touch at your heartstrings, nothing does.And, and then to find out, um, you know, that, uh, the next morning that she had passed away shortly after, uh, he got to the hospital and was able to tell her, um, that he had been drafted by the Steelers, I mean, that just made it all the more both, uh, gut-wrenching, uh, wrenching and heartfelt.

So, um, you know, y- typically what the Steelers do, and probably a lot of teams, but the Steelers always do this, they bring their number one draft pick into town the next day.

They meet, let him meet with the media, and then they take him over to some Steelers centric events that they have going on during the draft.

They did...

He came into town, uh, but they, he did not take part in those.

Um, was, was there a choice to maybe grab Omarion Hampton w- 21st overall 'cause he went 22? Uh, do you know if that was it or it was just defensive lineman no matter what first round?